Starting from sub-zero

[eternauta3k]

Thanks. Guess I'll order the cuts today & buy threaded rod, alu. angles, etc. Any tips on getting delrin?

Edit: found a couple of sellers:

• 3M
• Industrias JQ (www.jq.com.ar)

Edit2: I actually called the people at JQ! The dimensions I gave were a bit messed up (I didn't take into account that there are three nuts & three tensioners) but they said it'd be around 5 dollars. I guess the correct size would be under $10

[sdantonio]

for Delrin there is also McMaster-Carr (http://mcmaster.com). I have found them to be very good, and they ship internationally. I got mine off of ebay though. So you might want to look there too. The two big sellers of delrin on ebay are an american and a britt (I don't remember names). I don't know if you will run into import duties from brittian being a former colony (I don't know if that gives you some special economic status... it doesn't do it for us here. Finding a local supplier or local machine shop would be good too. The pieces you need can often be found in the discard bins of larger shops or sellers. In cases where you only need a small amount begging often works well (that's how I got the chips for my driver boards).

If you check out Joes 2006 machine on this site he embedded actual steel nuts into UHMWPE (cheep plastic cutting board material available at most stores) to make his antibacklash nuts. This will cause more wear on the leadscrew (keeping it greased will help). But using a standard threaded rod or something else easily available then there is no problem with replacing them every few years (depending on how many hours a day you plan to run the router). You cound probably embed them in wood too.

Also check out Joes double rail system (don't know if I mentioned that to you before).

Steven

[eternauta3k]

Thanks for the help. I think that for something this price, it'd be better to buy locally. I'll take into account the discards part.
By the way, we were a Spanish colony. Just the Falkland islands were conquered by the English who-knows-when (not too proud of my history knowledge)
<nationalism>In the continent, we repelled them twice</nationalism>

[sdantonio]

Sorry about that, for some reason I thought you were as Australian then I was originally answering you. Then I checked out the link for jq and realized my mistake.

So yopur not a big history fan, hows your knowlege of football (soccer)? Was there a D'Antonio who was once (or still may be) a high official in football (president of the national football association or something like that)?

[eternauta3k]

Nope, not too keen on football either
I liked joe's double pipe system but it's.... complicated. I know it isn't too difficult to make but if I start modifying pieces, I have to make sure it fits together. Maybe the next machine

Update on parts: I'll definitely remember to buy them tomorrow

[sdantonio]

Then do what Joe did. Make the first machine. Meanwhile ask Joe for a copy of the plans. He will send them to you or give you a link you can download them from.

Use the first machine to cut the parts for the second machine. Then the second machine will fit together perfectly.

Pull your servo's and everything rom the first machine and install them on the second.

Then you have the perfect, very ridgid machine.

Once you have the first machine built, building the second just involves about 3 sheets of MDF or plywood, glue, and a few fairly inexpensive parts (like lead screws and antibacklash nuts, and even those can be canibalized from the first machine).

Steven

[eternauta3k]

Nice! What set me back from doing Joe's was that the interlocking ribs seem hard to cut precisely (which is important because it isn't adjustable).
I might end up with 2 roller/pipe MDF machines and 1 aluminum THK slide machine

[sdantonio]

With the interlocking ribs, what I am doing is making up one rib very carefully and then using the router table (old fashion non-cnc table) to reproduce that rib the necessary number of times.

BTW, the guy I mentioned before who was the comissioner of the national football league... he is my cousin.